Stolen Moments and other things
by songbird'ssmile
Summary: The five times Skoochy tried to steal something from Jinora and the one time she succeeded in stealing something from him. Jinoochy R
1. A Necklace

**Disclaimer: if i owned LoK Jinora and Skoochy would have met by now... ;)**

**Summary: the five times Skoochy tried to steal something from Jinora and the one time she succeeded in stealing something from him.**

**Chapter One: A Necklace**

The first time he sees her, he doesn't recognize her; which is odd, because looking back on it he definitely remembers seeing her face before (in the papers at least). Seriously, she's councilman Tenzin's daughter; he should have recognized her.

Then again perhaps he had been too distracted. He had had a lot on his mind that day hunger gnawing silently in his stomach, the fear of a small unpaid debt to the triple threat triads (who though they didn't rule the streets like they used to, still had some pull in the Republic City underground), and the nagging thought in the back of his mind, egged on by many a stranger, that it just might be time for him to grow up and stop this whole theft game. But not tonight; he was hungry and it was late and people don't change in a day…

Yes, that day it hadn't mattered to him who she was, that day she was just another dame to con, just another quick yuan (or so he had thought).

Her necklace poked temptingly out of the short dip in her blouse. It looked expensive enough, it was old and it had some sort of fancy design with swirls on it. It would definitely fetch at least a hundred yuan, and all he had to do was distract her long enough to steal it.

It should have been easy enough, he had been doing this long enough that he was no longer stranger to distracting women.

He hung back at first observing the girl. She was dolled up nicely, her hair pulled away from her face and her clothes looked clean (unlike his own). And for the past half an hour she had looked up every few minutes to glance around the large train station only to look down a second later in disappointment. Skoochy had no idea who she was looking for and honestly, at that point, he couldn't care less. All he could bring himself to care about, at that moment, was when she picked up her head for the seventh time in ten minutes and he saw his opening to approach her…

"What's wrong Dollface, are you looking for someone…?" she looked up, the apathetic look of boredom that had been plastered on her face for the last half hour breaking slightly as her eyes glanced over him, before looking down again, deciding to ignoring him.

"Hey, Dollface, don't ignore me; I was just trying to help. You don't look like you from around here…" her eyes met his in an instant; molten brown pouring into dusty green. It caught him off guard

"As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for someone and they'll be here soon. I don't need your help." Skoochy was a bit taken aback by her sudden hostility; this was not going as well as he thought it would.

"And for your information I've practically lived in Republic City all my life and I know my way around, probably even better than you…" she finished with a challenging smirk playing on her lips.

Thinking back on it he probably should have called I quits right then and there, got up and left her alone, but their was this strange feeling he had about her, like she had some sort of pull on her and he couldn't quite resist getting a rise out of her. The quick spark of emotion from her short outburst was already fading while he stared.

"I can assure you Dollface, you most certainly do not know your way around Republic City, like I do…" she raised an eye brow to the suggestion before brushing it off.

"Says you." She huffed in annoyance "And don't call me Dollface" the conversation was turning on him and honestly he was starting to forget why he was even talking to her in the first place. Regrettably his mind made quick work of that and tried to steer him back in the right direction, the one where he wouldn't be hungry tonight.

"Well Dollface…" hey if she wasn't going to play nice he'd just turn up the charm. "I wouldn't have to, if you told me your name" he said with a borderline cocky grin crossing his face.

"And why would I tell you my name? I don't know you…" he voice was assertive but the blush creeping across her cheeks betrayed her.

"My names Skoochy, there we've met… Now can you tell me your name?" She took a second looking him over a second time trying to see if he was even telling the truth. Because honestly who would believe that someone's name was Skoochy; still he seemed convinced enough.

"Jinora," she said finally "My name's Jinora."

As if on cue Skoochy took that as an 'okay' to slide in to the seat next to her.

"So Jinora, about my earlier question… Who are you waiting for?"

"None of your business…" she replied shifting away slightly

"Is it a date or something…?" He saw color flush her cheeks in an instant.

"What? No!" she denied almost instantly.

"It definitely is" he said with that over again overly self-assured smirk settling on his face almost instantly.

But it took only a second longer for the implications of that to settle into his mind. Frist she probably had a boyfriend, which explain why she wasn't responding to any of his advances (as half-asses as they happened to be in this case). Second she had been sitting her for over 40 minutes now and he hadn't see head or tails of her supposed goof; if he wasn't here by now he had probably stood her up. Damn it, now he felt a bit guilty. Cursing himself both for caring and being so insensitive at the same time he decide He should at least tell her, her dates probably not going to show up, (even though she probably could already guess).

"You know, if your date hasn't shown up by now he probably won't" he said bluntly. She glanced down shrugging her shoulder.

"I know, I was going to leave then you showed up." The word had a bitter bite to them but they were backed with a touch of hurt.

Skoochy felt a surge of anger. If he was her date; he wouldn't have stood dame like her up. It was just rude. He may have been a street rat but he wasn't rude.

"You know Dollface if I was your date I wouldn't have stood you up…" he mused honestly

"And he has no idea what he missing standing you up" he added almost silently

Jinora raise an eyebrow; a smirk, lighting up her face with emotion

"Oh? And you think you do…?" Skoochy took that as a cue to lean in close to her

"Well for one, Dollface, you sure are pretty" he put his hand under her chin and lifted her face so he could see it better. "And your pretty smart too…" he said as his eyes smoldered in to hers.

They stayed nearly frozen like that, faces no more than an inch apart, for what seemed like hours. Then, in an instant, Jinora pulled away frowning.

"You know your very sweet Skoochy." she paused a half frown half smirk playing on her lips. "But I'd like my necklace back…" The first phrase had his mouth hanging slack but the second brought him crashing back to reality.

As he handed her back the necklace he knew two things

First he had just been caught stealing something that hadn't happen since he was maybe fourteen

Second he had to get to know this dame.

In his apparent stunned state, Jinora took the cue to get up and start heading out of the station to go home.

"Wait!" he called after her.

"Jinora!" she shouted; at the sound of her name she turned.

"Can I see you again?" he asked. The question sounded much too soft for his liking. But he couldn't help it. He needed to see this dame again.

"Maybe…" she said smiling "If you're not trying to steal something from me." She added with a light laugh, as she walked away.

Then in her absence reality slowly crashed around him; he was still hungry, he still had debts owed and as the night set in the sidewalk was being rolled up before he even had the chance to make a few god yuans.

But for some wacky reason the most important thought on his mind right now was how could he get her to smile like that again.

**A/N: Hi, i absoulty love jinoochy, so much, it's awsome... but i know i have other storys i technicaly should be writing... but for some reason this plot rabiroo is one of the most persistent right now and this is what he wants me to write. so for now deal with it... ;)**

**So please Read and Review... it pleases my plot rabiroo and he stops jumping all over the place... which cuts down on the cleaning cost of my mind. (seriously there's plot animal prints everywhere.) So feed them with your reviews and let my mind get some rest. **


	2. A Book

**Disclamier: I feel like i've done this before... ;)**

**Chapter Two: A Book**

It's over a week before he sees her again. He was talking to his friend, Takeo, (though it might be a stretch to call him that as the only reason he ever saw him was for information swapping and the occasional black market gig.) when she caught his eye.

She was sitting there in the park under a cherry tree; a book hiding half her face and the shade obscuring the other half. But he could see her eyes clearly; he knew it was her.

"Jinora!" he calls he name across the open air of the park, walking towards her paying no mind to his so call friend who decidedly leaves, assuming their little meeting is over.

She doesn't look up. "Jinora!" Skoochy tries again. She doesn't even flinch in reaction to the sound of her name. As he gets closer to her he can see her eyes darting back and forth over the pages of the book flipping to a different page every so often.

"Murder! That must be a really swell story…" he commented no response.

"Jinora…?" he said softly, sitting right beside her. He didn't feel the need to shout but perhaps in this case he should have… this brought a whole new meaning to being to absorbed in a book.

He snatched the book from her grasp, careful to put finger on the page she reading, holding it high over both their heads.

"Hey!" shout Jinora with a slight squeak and Skootchy was sure he wouldn't have heard that if he hadn't honestly caught her off guard.

"Hey yourself, Dollface…" he replied with a smirk.

"Skootchy?" she asks like she already knew the answer

"Yeah, did you not recognize me or something…?" Jinora collects herself quickly.

"No, I recognize you; I just remember telling you, we'd only meet up again if you didn't have any intention of stealing from me!" she clarifies as she a leaps good foot and a half in the air to lift the book back out of his hand.

"Hey, I was only trying to get your attention" he said with a smile, glad she hadn't forgotten him. He took a second to try and get a better look at the book she was reading. The cover looked kind of beat up and the title was barely visible through her delicate finger clutched around it.

"Watcha readin'?" he asks finally.

"A book" she counters the playful smirk on her lips making it perfectly clear that she knows that not what he meant. He retorts with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as if to say "No, really?"

She sighs but replies "It's a historical journal about the hundred year's war… probably not what most people would consider interesting…"

"Well," says Skoochy considering "Probably not most people… but there are exceptions." he says, a smile emerging on his face.

"Oh," she replies grinning back "Are you one of these exceptions…?"

"As a matter of fact I am. Dollface, when you deal in information; you have to know information. Of course most peoples now'n days want the more modern stuff occasionally I have to do reach. And that private library in the city is always pretty easy to break into" the cockiness in his tone made it unclear whether or not he was even telling the truth, but Jinora erred on the side of caution, hitting him squarely on the shoulder with her book.

"You shouldn't tell me that! My father's Councilman Tenzin; I could get you arrested!" she shouts, albeit laughing slightly as her cheeks beginning to flush with color.

"Honestly, Dollface, I don't think you arrest me…" he says, pausing a moment to think over the conviction he seems to hold in those words.

"Why?" she said almost defiantly; suddenly taking notice of how close they had gotten under the shade of cherry tree. She carefully moved back "I don't know you and you barely know me?"

The honest admission stopped both of them cold. She was right they really didn't know each other… but did they want to. Skoochy wasn't sure about Jinora's opinion of him but he knew without a doubt he had to get to know her.

"But, we could get to know each other?" he said earnestly.

After a minute Jinora replied "We could." Her was tone slightly distant but it was enough.

"We could go someplace, now; if you want… I could show you the library…" he said half joking, half completely hoping she say yes. She looked down.

"Thanks, but I can't I have a date in a few minutes…" she said a frown forming on her lips.

"With who?" he asked feeling a sudden surge of jealousy building behind the question.

"My boyfriend" she replied flatly.

"You don't mean the flat tire, who stood you up last week?" he bit out a bit to bitterly.

She nodded "Yeah, turns out he just got caught up helping his grandmother go shopping…"

Skoochy help back a sneer if that was true, he was the avatar.

"Well, can I wait with you; incase he pulls another no show..?"

For a moment she looked like she was about to smile; when suddenly her posture stiffened and expression left her face.

"Thanks, but that no longer necessary he's here…" the stringency in her tone was unsettling to him

"Oh," he said he head turning as she went in the direction of a tall man with light brown hair and steely blue eyes. He contemplated going over there and talking to the fella just to see what kind of man he was, but that seemed pointless; Jinora was right they didn't know each other.

"_But we could…" _

The word replayed in his mind again.

"Wait! Jinora!" he said calling after her "When can I see you again?"

She turned for no more than a split second to meet his eyes the now familiar molten brown boring into his with a touch of nervousness skirting around the edges.

"I come to the park ever Monday and Thursday to meditate, I hope I'll see you then…?"

He nodded quickly adding "See you then, Jinora…" just as she turned to walk up to her goof. He greeted her with a halfhearted kiss and wrapped an arm around her waist leading them down one of the walkways in the park.

Just as he was about to turn away he saw the goof eyes dart over to some dolled up, raven haired quiff who was walking past them. He felt a torrent of disgust for the guy.

Seriously, that was her boyfriend?

That was the man (if he'd dare venture to call him that) who got a dame like her?

Skoochy quickly dismissed the sudden pang of jealously

That was her boyfriend… And he didn't know him… And he didn't really know her, either…

"_But they could…" _

Yes, they could…

**A/N: So that's chapter two. And I'm sorry I forgot to mention their exact ages in the prior chapter. Skoochy's 18 and Jinora's 16. And the time period I was going for was like early-to-mid-30s but I apologize if my use of slang is scattershot. **

**So Read and Review (Remember the baby plot rabiroos… ;) **


	3. An Apple

**Disclaimer: I'm tired and I can't really think of anything witty to put here, so I'll hit random keys for a bit, until I think I should stop…**

wscvbhgfcvbnmkjuhygfvb nm,lkiujhb nm,kjhgv mjhgfc nm,;lkjhgjfhdxcvb.k,vjhgxsxcvbhjygtfrdcvbnmk,lopp; .j,hgxsgchvjbj.

**Okay, that's good… ;)**

**Chapter Three: An Apple**

Skoochy had never really like Mondays before; then again, he had never had a reason to before now. Days dripped by like cold honey as he found himself more enthused than usual to see someone who he barely knew. Even Takeo had taken notice.

"Are you going to stop staring at that tree? It's making me worried that you might be going nuts or something, and you know how much I hate to worry about people…" Skoochy's head snapped around to face him.

"You know Skooch if I didn't know better, I say you were dizzy over some dame…" Takeo laughed heartily roiling his eyes "But of course, I'd be forgetting who I'm talking to, the I-don't-need-nobody grifter." Skoochy felt a compulsion to add an awkward chuckle before adding.

"Takeo, I said that when I was seven."

"Oh, and have you really changed any…?" Skoochy didn't answer. He knew the answer; he was still a thieving street rat. But maybe part of it wasn't so true anymore; maybe he did need somebody… well, not somebody, her… just her. Takeo picked up on his lack of response.

"Murder, I never thought I'd see the day!" exclaimed Takeo clapping him on the shoulder roughly.

"Who's the dame, Skooch… Amaya? Riko?... Naomi? I always thought you had a thing for that broad…" Skoochy rolled his eyes, unhappy with the turn this conversation was taking. Takeo was the last person, he wanted to talk about this with… then again he was probably going to be the only person he could talk about this with. Despite their honest lack of friendship Takeo was probably, by default, the closest thing he had to a friend.

"Okay Genius, you figured it out; there's a woman…"

"Oh, a _woman_" replied Takeo mockingly. Skoochy gave him a look that said _quit it_.

"Listen, her name is Jinora…" Skoochy said, waiting for the reaction he very well knew was coming.

"Jinora you mean the airbending doll, the councilman's daughter." sighing, Skootchy nodded

"How, you even get to know her…?"

"We met at the train station while she was waiting for her date."

"Murder, Skooch a dame with class and a goof; you sure know how to pick em…"

"I didn't know any of that until later and honestly we've only spoken twice, but I feel like I know this girl better than anyone, and…" he took a deep breath; he was acting whacky.

After a moment Takeo spoke "This dame's really got you dizzy over her…?"

Skoochy nodded.

"And you're not trying to chisel at the broad; you're not trying to steal from her…?"

Skoochy shook his head putting his face in his hands.

"And what about the goof what's he like?" Skoochy lifted his head

"A greaseball" he stated bluntly. Takeo raised an eyebrow

"Have you even met the fella…"

"No, but when I saw him walk off with Jinora, I caught him glancing at some quiff… and the time before that he was a no show for their date…"

"So you've never met him?" he asked again. Skoochy threw his hand up in frustration.

"Are you saying he isn't wrong for treating her like that…?" Takeo motioned for him to calm down.

"I didn't say that, Skooch… what I'm saying is… look, whether or not this guy is actually a swell fella or a greaseball… it don't matter; she still his girl…" Skoochy went back to running his hand through his hair anxiously.

"So you're saying I don't have a chance…" Takeo looked over to the younger man.

"No, I'm going to give you some advice… before you even go after this girl you have to make some changes with yourself… you have to grow up" Skoochy rolled his eyes here was a man only five years his senior taking to him like he had lived a life time longer. Then again maybe he had.

"You need to get a real job, start earing you living, and get cleaned up a bit. And in the meantime with the dame; you should just try to be her friend. If the guy is like you say he is; what she need right now is a friend and she'll sort everything out eventually." As always Takeo seemed to have all the information.

"That sounds easy, how you say it but I can't… I have debts… to the Triple Threats, and I'm near beat with paying them…" Takeo considered it for a moment, debating something with himself before replying…

"Okay, I pay them…" Skoochy looked at him disbelievingly

"And how?"

"You'll have to pay me back, but at least it'll be better the Triple Threats on your back," said Takeo simply.

"What's your angle?"

"You get a job, and play nice with the dame and her goof"

"Why would you do this?" he asked still not believing Takeo, heck anyone, would want to help him out just for the sake of it.

"Hey, when I see something I can fix; I fix it..."

The sat in silence for a moment or two, as Skoochy though over the conversation they had just had. It was probably the first time he'd ever heard anything but black market prices and a rehashing of the latest rumors. It was odd, seeing as he had known Takeo well over eight years.

"Hey Takeo?"

"Yeah…?"

"How come you've never given me advice like this before…?" he said to the man five years his senior.

"You never asked, and honestly for a long time Skoochy you reminded me of a younger, albeit less good looking, me" he said with a chuckle, but his eyes weren't in it "I wouldn't want to see you end up a washed up grifter like me. You're a good man, one of the few I know, and now it seems you're finally ready to grow up. You know, it took you long enough…"

"Okay" said Skoochy finally

"Okay what?"

"I'll try going straight from now on…" he said, unsure if he would really be able to keep that promise.

"Good" stated Takeo "Real good…"

* * *

Monday morning was over cast but it looked like it'd burn off by noon. He decided to star his day by going out and looking for a job like he said he would. That ended, of course, in a string of choice words being yelled at him as he was kicked out of a number of places: Narrook's, Ichiro's Swords, the phonograph shop, even the local speakeasy…

By the time he gave up for the day and made his way to the park; his stormy mood was in great contrast with the clearing sky.

Then he saw her…

This time she was sitting on a park bench, legs crossed as she leaned back in to the seat. She had a book in one hand and an apple in the other. She seemed lost in thought as she put the apple to her lips and sank he teeth in to the skin, juice glistening on her pink lips. Murder! This girl was going to make it difficult for him to stay just friends with her…

He strides over to her and without a word snatches the apple out of her grasp. He reasons with himself that it was just making her look too tempting. With another moments consideration he bought the apple to his own lips and took a bit. That, he reasoned, was because he was actually hungry.

"Hey!" she shouts a delayed response.

"Hey you…" he replies enjoying how her eyes seem to light up the second she realizes it's him. He hands back the apple. Raising an eyebrow, she takes it looking over the bite mark.

"I was eating that you know…" the smirk playing on her face making it evident she's not mad.

"I know, Dollface, but you seemed to be enjoying it so I thought I'd give it a try" She rolls her eyes and moves to one side of the bench. He takes the cue to sit down next to her.

They take turns sharing the apple, laughing at the people who shoot them strange looks as they walk by. Her eyes are smoldering again, emotion wiping away any façade of apathy she was trying to keep up. Then they fell for a second to the book lying forgotten on her lap. Skoochy noticed how her eyes dart much too quickly back up to meet his.

"Whatcha reading this time, Jinora?" he says he says enjoy the way her name sounds. She smirks in reply.

"Just an old story…" it was Skoochy's turn to roll his eyes

"There's a lot of od stories, Dollface. Which one?" Jinora looked down trying to hide the blush rising o her cheeks, only making Skoochy more curious.

"_Nights in Ba Sing Se_" she said finally. Skoochy wasn't familiar with the title.

"What's it about…?"

"Well there's this girl, and she a daughter of a couns… um… security officer and she meets this boy who's been raised on the streets, and then there some plot development... and I haven't read the rest yet." She finishes quickly, eyeing Skoochy, who was smiling broadly.

"So it's a romance story… right?" Skoochy said causing Jinora to give short laugh.

"I don't know; I haven't gotten to the end…" she says. Their eyes meet curiously; each wanting to know, past-the-present, what was waiting for them.

"Well, when you do figure it out, Jinora, tell me what happens…" he said.

* * *

Every week afterwards she was there like clockwork. They'd sit and talk for hours. They would talk about going somewhere other than the park, but they never did. The park was like their own world, and neither them wanted be first to destroy it. There they could be together without anyone to judge.

But the second those afternoons ended reality would come crashing back to them.

He was still looking for a job and trying his hardest to pay back Takeo.

She still had as boyfriend, who he had yet to care for, and he could see it hurt her to talk about him so he didn't bring it up unless she did. She didn't.

But in the world they'd created somewhere in between the cherry tree and the park bench near the water fountain, none of it mattered. They stayed and read each other like books, and learned each other past the story that society, the paper, or the rumors that flew around the city tried to write for them. And in the wake of it all, he was still waiting for her to tell him the end of that book.

But each day that he left without an answer, only made the concern grow in his mind.

_Maybe it was all true; maybe there just wasn't a storybook ending for them._

**A/N: Sorry this took a while I was really trying to get this chapter to sound right. And I had a semiformal on Friday and my baby sister's b-day the next. So now that it's up tell me what you think. This was going to be one of the shorter chapters but for some reason Takeo wanted some character development. And the plot rabbiroo asked for plot development so, hence this chapter. Anyways as for Jinora's boyfriend he'll definitely play a big part in the next chapter. **

**So Read and Review and I'll update some time tomorrow (or the next day ;) **


	4. A Glider

**Disclaimer: Why are you looking here? Just go ahead and read the chapter… ;) **

**Chapter Four: A Glider**

"Spirits paint our lives

But strokes of luck are so few

And should they occur

They are marred with misfortune

A smug to cover them up"

"_Ain't that the truth"_ thought Skoochy, as he placed the old book back on the shelf. Suddenly he stiffened when he heard the telltale rustle of curtain being pulled away from the door to the library; it was time for him to scram. He looked back to the book and thought for a split second about taking it; then he remembered his promise to Takeo and decides against it. He was going straight from now on. Still it wasn't like he was stealing it to get a few yuans, it would just be to escape for a bit. When he was reading he didn't have to think about anything else, not even the odd turn his life had just taken and his lack of luck with it.

And much as he hate to admit it, welcome or unwelcome visitor, he loved this library. It gave him a sense of home. Well, unless he was being chased out of it; like he was now…

He had moved towards the window to go back out the way he came in, but his thoughts had him lagging and his pursuer, the old woman who owned the library, was close enough to look him in the eyes. And she did…

"Stop!" She said sternly. Skoochy didn't need to hear another word. Without a second thought he flung his other leg over the edge of the window and prepared to jump to the ground.

"Wait! Don't leave…" it was the odd word choice that made him snap his head back around to face the woman.

"You're the boy who comes here to read; aren't you…" she stated calmly.

Skoochy didn't say a word. The woman may have looked too old and frail to trick him in to confessing to breaking in, but you could never be too careful.

"Yes, you're the boy who sneaks in here when you think the library is unattended. You take books, "steal them", but you always put them back…"

His eyes dart to the corner of the room trying not to meet hers. He desperately wants to leave but some part of him, some part of him that may be nuts, is curious as to why she hasn't already called the cops and turned him in.

"I hear you looking for a job…" his head bolts up to look her in the eyes immediately, on his face is a mixture of confusing as to how she knew that and curiosity as to why she asking...

"I hear a lot more than people think?" she replied to the unasked question "Especially about the street kids… although you're getting on in years to be considered a kid." He nodded he knew this; he'd heard it mentioned often enough. "I guess that's why you getting a job…" she continued "Although most kids would have joined one of the gangs by now, and they'd be raising though the ranks..." …_Straight on their way to an untimely death. _He mentally completed her train of thought. She looked over him appraisingly "But not you?"

"No, not me ma'am" he responded verbally for the first time, deciding he ought to be polite to the old bird who was offering him a job (or at least sounded like she was).

"So you want a job?" she asked again bluntly. He nodded, though _needed_ was probably a better word for it.

"Yes, ma'am…"

"I need someone to run the library… I'm getting older and I have other thing to take care of now…" she trailed off like she was avoiding a subject "I have money to hire someone to help out." She clarified "How's Tuesday through Saturdays. I knows it's odd days but that's when I need the help."

"That's great…" he replied, barely believing his luck. "but why me…?" this was definitely not the way he envisioned getting a job.

"Well for one, you obviously want to be here and for another if I hire you the number of break in in the library will finally go down to zero." There was something in the way she said the last reason he knew she might have said something different if she'd was being honest, but he decided not to press the subject further.

"So you'll take the job…?" she asked

"Yes, Ms…"

"Mrs. Yamauchi," she said glancing hastily at the clock that reads 6:38, turning to him apologetically. "Could you perhaps start now?" she asked "I know it's late, but it'd just be until 9 o'clock when the library closes…" he nodded again.

Later he'd realized that the Mrs. Yamauchi he working for, is the same one whose son was mentioned in the paper less than a week ago. He remembered reading that he'd been attacked during some sort of gang fight, and has yet to regain consciousness. It explained why she needed the help, and soon after that when he finds a picture of her son, he see the resemblance and realizes why she hired him. Maybe it's luck on his part. His first bit of luck in a while, but it doesn't last long.

"Jinni why on earth do we have to visit this wet blanket of a place?" asked a guy not minding the blunt tone his voice had taken.

"Because I forgot to return my book this week…" at the sound of her voice Skoochy nearly fell off the chair he was leaning on. What was she doing here? He could vaguely remember her saying she went to a library every week, but how was he supposed to know it was this one. He knew he probably should have guessed, considering this library was only used by the most prominent people in Republic City and she certainly counted as that. He glanced around the library wondering if he should call attention to himself or just pretend he hadn't seen her.

"So? Do you really need another, kitten, you already spend most of you time absorbed in those lame-brained stories about stuff that happened a hundred years ago…" Jinora looked at him carefully; she seemed to be waiting for something, like he was going to say more or do something… when he didn't; she sighed tiredly.

"It'll only be a minute Sachio, please…" this wasn't the Jinora he knew. The Jinora he knew didn't let people get away with calling books lame-brained, and she most certainly didn't let people control her like this greaseball was. He looked at her seriously.

"One minute then." A wave of panic crossed her face as she looked around the library hurriedly. In Some part of his mind Skoochy realized the fella was actually serious.

Jinora's face seemed caught between asking for help and using the seconds to look for a book. Finally, with sigh of defeat, she picked up a random book and walked over to the desk; straight into him.

"I'd like to exchange a book." Her face dropped down glancing over the unfamiliar cover of the new book.

"Sure thing, Dollface?" her face darted to meet his in a second, their eyes met greedily taking in the luxury of such a chance encounter, and for the first time since she'd been there he saw her smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her smile turning in to a smirk.

"I work here…" he replied almost proud that he's able to tell her that.

"Oh?" surprise colored her voice.

"As of last the Tuesday…" he clarified "before that I used to frequent it a little less legally…" she almost laughed but she stopped herself; glancing over to her boyfriend had begun to walk towards them.

"So, Jinni who this…?" Skoochy noticed the way the guy put an arm around her shoulder possessively and puffed his chest out ever so slightly. The message was clear; Jinora was his, no matter how uncomfortable she looks on his arm.

"This is my friend Skoochy… the one I meet with some times…" she doesn't say how often, when, or where, but she doesn't need to; the comment seems to already have his some sort of nerve. "Skoochy this is… Sachio."

"Oh, so you're the street rat she talks about…?" he says an air of disgust hanging thick around his words. Skoochy can feel Sachio's eyes on him sizing him up. His eyes narrow and meet the fella's, but Skoochy isn't backing down for a second. If he could he'd tell Sachio to scram and leave Jinora alone; he would. But he knows he can't; Jinora's not his girl. Suddenly, the guy laughs disturbing the tension in the room.

"It's okay pally, cool it; and don't worry any friend of Jinni's is a friend of mine." Skoochy raised and eyebrow to the man's honest insincerity. He wanted to tell the fella that he couldn't say the same about her boyfriends but he didn't. The fleeting expression of relief on Jinora's face when her goof was laughing stopped him. He didn't need to make her situation, whatever it was, worse.

He logged the books in the library binder on the desk one retuned, one signed out.

"Have a nice night Jinora…" he said reluctantly as he handed her the book.

"Oh we will…" answered Sachio before she could get a word out, immediately leading her towards he door.

"Abyssinia…?" Skoochy called after her

Jinora manage a half nod in his direction before the guy pulled her out the door.

"Abyssinia…" she repeated in less than a whisper.

_I'll be seeing you_, that's what she said… but it was well over two weeks before he saw her again. She hadn't been at the park as of late and he was getting worried. He knew she was okay, for the most part because, he'd seen her in the paper recently and he hadn't heard anything to contrary on the street. But still there was nothing tangible for him, no pair of molten brown eyes he could look into and know she fine. He hated not seeing her. It then that he realized he was perfectly fine with them being just friend because at least he'd been able to see her. Still they're just friends, and now he didn't get to see her at all.

It's that thought that drove him to the local speakeasy that night, with a few yuans in his pocket for at least a drink or two so he can forget. Well… not her; he never wanted to forget her, but rather the fact he could never be with her. No matter how much luck he had in his life, it seemed like there'd always be that looming fact hanging over him to smudge it out.

He fought back a grimace as her made his way to the speakeasy. It was well hided in between an old alley and the back wall of a general store that really wasn't the back wall. During the day it posed as a store room and by night it moonlighted as the place of sin that was well know all over Republic City. The music was loud and the walls sound proof. There was just enough room for about a dozen people to dance, if they were really friendly with each other. The bar was small and consisted of a few overturned crated with a large piece of stone put over it. The man who worked behind the counter was named Arashi. He was a waterbender and despite being known as the city drunk, he'd never had a drop in his life; he preferred to make moonshine and slosh it up to other saps that were willing to waste their yuans trying to wash memories from their mind.

However fate seemed to have another idea for him; there at the bar in front of him was Jinora and Sachio sitting on a pair of mis-matched stools. Hers sat slightly higher than his so it brought her waist up to the perfect level for Sachio's arm to wrap around it. Skoochy couldn't help but feel a tinged of jealousy as Sachio began to press his lips in to the crook of her neck. He decides leaving seemed like the best of his options right now, while he was still sober and wouldn't do anything he'd regret... But the moment he turned to leave; he heard Jinora utter something that stopped him cold.

"Sachio, stop… please" the sound was breathless and weak, he had never heard her voice sound like that and something was off.

"No… Sachio stop it" her voice spoke only slightly louder than the last time, but the tone remained the same. It didn't sound like she was drunk; it sounded worse.

He turned around only to regret it when he saw Sachio's arms entwined around her body, her arms however were hanging limp at her sides and her eyes were looked unfocused but there was a haunting look of fear in them that made bile rise in his thought.

"Stop." She said again as Sachio continued his attack on her through moving to the dip in her blouse trying gingerly to loosen it. When he paused to whisper harshly in her ear Skoochy lost it.

He walked up to Sachio and clapped him on the shoulder pushing him back and shoving his shoulder roughly making him break away from her. Sachio looks up at Skoochy confusion is followed by drunken n arrogance.

"Well if it isn't Jinni's streetrat pal…" It was sickening Sachio even had the nerve to put him down right then.

"Hey, pally she told you to stop…" Skoochy gave him another shove trying to get him off her without causing a real ruckus, but the smug smile on Sachio's face didn't falter.

"Hey, this is my girl; I'll do as I please…" Skoochy could smell booze on his breath; he needed to get Jinora away from this fella, now.

"Hey greaseball, she doesn't belong to you and she's much too good for a crumb like you." Skoochy took the collar of Sachio shirt into his fist and tugged him up from the stool. From the corner of his eye he noticed Jinora collapse onto the bar. Arashi was shooting him a warning glare, as other people started to stare.

"She said stop so I suggest you get away from her and scram." He flung Sachio back deciding he wasn't worth a fight.

"And who's planning on making me…?" spat back Sachio drunkenly. With that Skoochy sent a fist sailing into the air at his face stopping barely a hair away from his schonz. The guy filched in terror, a typical sissy. Skoochy brought his arm down, and waved Sachio off.

"Now scram." He said and for a minute the guy seemed to flow his instruction, but the second he reached the door he turned around in spite and hollered back at him.

"Well it don't matter, because she may be too good for me but she definitely too good for scum like you. So go on; be her hero… When I leave here I can get any dame I want, I don't need to waste my time with a quiff like her."

It took second for Skoochy to respond, making his way over to the guy and issuing him a sharp punch to his face. The sickening crack of his nose gave him an odd sense of satisfaction.

"Her name is Jinora and don't you ever refer to her as a quiff, greeseball..." He walked back to Jinora who was feebly holding her head and leaning on the bar. She looked like she'd tip over any second she was so far under the water. He picked up the drink she'd been nursing; he grimaced at the smell. The greeseball had slipped her a Mickey Finn, no wonder she was ready collapse. He lifted her face only to find cloudy eyes; she pulled back.

"I-i-i- need to g-g-get h-home…" she stuttered out. Her hand shook as she tried to find he glider that was propped against the bar barely an inch away from her. She tried to hop down from the stool but lost her balance falling into Skoochy. He couldn't let her airbend while she was like this; she might fall into the bay, if she made it that far... He thought about it for les than a second before he decided to sling her arm around his neck and lift her into his strong arms. Her lack of protest only proved to him how out of it she was feeling at the moment. He called Arashi over, who gave a sheepish glance.

"I didn't put anything in her drink, if that what you're wondering about?" Skoochy glared at him but he knew this conversation was for another time.

"No, I was going to ask if you could hold her glider somewhere safe until tomorrow…" Arashi looked at him, then Jinora. Skoochy knew under normal circumstances Arashi might ask Skoochy for some insurance on the glider but both of them knew he was in no position to ask for that. Arashi owned a juice joint but he didn't tolerate drugs in his place.

With a sigh Arashi nodded and went through the storeroom entrance into his shop. He returned a moment later and went back about his work pouring drinks.

As he walked out of the speakeasy, listening as the music dies behind him with the closing of the door, he heard Jinora mumble something that sounded suspiciously like, "You stole my glider…" Skoochy couldn't help but smirk.

"I'll get it back to you tomorrow, Dollface; don't worry…" the tone was gentler than he'd ever spoken to anyone with, but he didn't care Jinora wasn't just anyone.

Jinora clung to Skoochy as he walked toward the docks. She was fighting passing out, but he could tell she was moments from slipping into unconsciousness; as each flutter of her eyelids grew progressively longer than the last.

When he reached the ferry he realized he barely had enough to get one of them across, considering it was late and the ferry men hate working past ten even though the ferries ran until eleven.

In his pocket he had only left himself with enough for the cost of a few drinks, which was nothing close to a ferry toll for the both of them. And by the time he reached the dock there was only one boat that had it light on. He knocked on the window id the boat's cabin hopping the fella wasn't asleep.

"What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?" The man hollered at him obviously annoyed. Skoochy cursed his luck and looked the irked man in the eyes trying to plead his case.

"Listen, sir I've got to get her back to Air Temple Island. She's passed out and I know I only have enough for one and a half fare but can you please get us across." Skoochy had never sounded so desperate in his life but somehow he couldn't bring himself to mind the blow to his pride so long as she got home safe that night. After a minutes consideration the man mutters, "Fine." and grabs the money from Skoochy, pausing only a moment to look over the odd pair. Skoochy was holding Jinora like she the most precious thing in the world. It was obvious there was more to their story.

"So Pally, are you her goof or something?" asked the ferryman curiously. Skoochy shook his head.

"No, just a good friend…" He said looking over the girl in his arms. Takeo was right, heck even that greeseball Sachio was right… he wasn't good enough for her. He was just her friend and that's what he'd be for her; because that what she needed right now…

**A/N: Hi, sooo… I'm not dead, No, but if you guessed that you'd be pretty close.**

**I had my final exams this week and the week before that I was studying. And I was offer two options I either terminate my account or stay off FFN willingly in order to get my grades up. So… I'm sorry, I don't like to make excuses but my apologies are usually pretty good. So if anyone is still even reading this story. I'm sorry my summer starts Tuesday and there are only two more chapters of this fict, which I want to work on without the hindrance of school…**

**So if anyone still reading this… Pleas, Read and Review. ;) **


	5. A Kiss

**Disclaimer: i don't own LoK**

**A/N: No, you are no imainige this, you are not seeing things, this is not like that time you were riding a pink unicorn over a field of cotton candy plants while you battled the evil lord Zenderhoff. This is an update!**

**Chapter Five: A Kiss**

There were many things in Skoochy life that he very well could have never done and he would have been perfectly fine… knocking on Councilman Tenzin's door at quarter to eleven with his eldest daughter drugged and passed out in his arms was definitely one of them.

He had never seen someone so upset before that all they could bring themselves to do was sputter out "How… Why!... What's… Who are… Where's Sa… When did…?" finally the man took a deep breath and settled on "Explain. Now…"

Skoochy looked at the girl in his arms trying to decide exactly what to say…

"Jinora passed out…" he stated bluntly

"I can see that…" said her father… rubbing his temples as he spoke.

After a long silence, Tenzin must have realized that the stranger holding his daughter was still standing at the door with her in his arms and reluctantly motioned him inside.

Skoochy looked around nervously for someplace to lie her down on, there didn't seem to be much furniture in the room, but then again airbenders weren't known for having many earthly possessions in the first place. Finally Skoochy settled for the low-lying table in the center of the room, making sure to rest her head on one of the floor pillows he had grabbed from around the table. He knew that with whatever the greaseball had slipped her she was sure to have a terrible headache in the morning…

He looked over Jinora, who was sleeping far too peacefully for it to be natural; he wasn't sure what he should tell her father. Skoochy knew for a fact that the councilman would never willingly allow his daughter to go to a speakeasy, and it was obvious her father wasn't used to his daughter coming home drugged. Sighing, Skoochy ran his fingers through his hair nervously; all of his thought seemed to point to the same conclusion: tell the truth…

Councilman Tenzin was still looming by the door looking between Skoochy and his daughter.

"I want to know exactly what happened, everything…" he repeated. Skoochy felt himself freeze up for a moment as he tried to find his voice. Usually giving information was easy now he felt like he was choking**. **

"I had gone to Arashi's…" he started, watching her father cringe at the name. Skoochy wasn't sure what the councilman had heard but he knew the juice joint's reputation was far worse than the place itself. Though the news Skoochy was recounting to him now would probably only confirm at least some of the things he had heard. "When I got there I saw Jinora and Sachio…" there was a moment of misplaced relief on her father's feature at the mention of Jinora's boyfriend. "They were for lack of a better word, necking…" said Skoochy, silently hoping the councilman was privy to that particular slang word. "I turned to leave, but then I heard Jinora telling him to quit it." There was a second of confusion that crossed over the councilman's face before it was quickly replaced with subtle resentment. "There was something off with her voice, she sounded so weak, like it was hard for her to breathe and talk at the same time…" Tenzin took a deep breath beside him reminding Skoochy who he was talking to.

"I went over to the bar and told him to stop it…" Skoochy paused for a minute thinking over everything he'd heard Sachio say. They weren't words that her father needed to hear and honestly he'd rather not repeat them. "There were some words said and her goof left…"

Tenzin paused knowing there must be more to the story.

"He, her goof, had slipped Jinora a Mickey; I don't know what exactly was in it but it was strong enough that she could hardly stand…" Skoochy looked over Jinora's form. Her breathing seemed to be less shallow now and there was some color in her cheeks again. He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"When she wakes up she probably have a headache… you should give her some jasmine tea with lime; it helps…." Skoochy continued awkwardly, wondering if her father would press for any more information on what had happened with Sachio.

"I see…" said the airbender calmly, studying the young man carefully. looking between Skoochy and his daughter, he asked. "So what exactly is your part in all this…"

"I'm her friend." Skoochy felt the words on his lips, he desperately wanted them to be a lie, but they weren't, they couldn't be, not now. "A really good friend" he repeated.

"I've never seen you before…?" Tenzin stated but there was a question in it, he wanted to know why.

"I know…" said Skoochy unable to offer any other response. A moment passed before he added, "Usually we meet in the park…" Tenzin gave a 'hmmm' of disapproval.

"That explains her lack of focus during meditation recently…" he said like he was trying to figure out how his daughter had known someone he hadn't known about. Skoochy took a second to reassess the situation; him included, it seemed like Tenzin didn't know his daughter as well as he thought he did.

"Don't worry; she meditates plenty" he said honestly "but..."

"What?" he asked, as concern rang through his voice.

"She doesn't seem to have a lot of people to talk to…"

"What do you mean; she doesn't have anyone to talk to? Her mother and I tell her she can talk to us about anything, she has three siblings, and her br…" he stopped short of saying the last word deciding he wasn't worth listing with the rest.

"Listen, Councilman Tenzin, I know I shouldn't be one to judge on other peoples families, I've never really had one fort myself but… Jinora… she's the type of doll who genuinely cares about her family, much more than herself. There not a time I haven't seen her studying or spending time with that greeseball… she was trying to be a good daughter but along the way something kinda got balled up."

"Don't you dare imply I wanted something like this to happen to her!" as he spoke his tone be cane pointed and his face grew red with anger.

"Sir, I swear that not what I meant… I meant that Jinora needed someone to talk to…"

"And that when she found you is that what you're saying, that you believe you can protect my daughter better than I can…"

"No, I believe you trying to protect her is the problem…"

"Get out" Tenzin spoke through clenched teeth "Get out here now."

"Spirits! But sir that's not what meant, I just…"

"Get out…" Skoochy left reluctantly. When he got to the docks he couldn't help but feel like a greaseball himself. He'd questioned her parent protectiveness of her, but honestly he understood it. They had every right to be selective of her friends, boyfriends, social outings all of it, but he couldn't justify how it all let her end up with someone like Sachio. He placed a sharp kick to one of the wooden supports of the dock in frustration. He wasn't going to make it back to Republic City tonight. He was broke and the ferries didn't run this late. He couldn't go back to the dormitories after what he'd just said to her father. Quite literally he was stuck. He sat in the edge of the dock letting his feet dangle over the edge; letting the exhaustion that he'd been holding off for hours set in.

Skootchy wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep but he was sure it was somewhere in-between when he was kicking himself for being such a wet blanket, and debating whether he should go back up there and announce to a likely still knocked out cold Jinora that he had feelings for her.

When he woke to the sun rudely hit him in the face and his face felt sticky with sea salt, he found himself confronted with a vaguely familiar voice.

"Are you still here, Pally?" Skoochy looked around before spotting the person talking to him

Skoochy groaned finally sitting up. It was the ferry man from the night before. The man was scratching his head and staring at him, probably wondering why he was sleeping on the docks.

"What happen? Did your fem get home safe…?" Skoochy rubbed his face standing up before replying

"She's not my fem were just friends…?" the man raised his eyebrows as if to say "really"

"Pally I've seen a lot of couples In my life time and if you two aren't together then I don't know who is…?"

"We're not." Skoochy said getting annoyed this was none of that man's business why was he telling him this…

"Why?" Skoochy sighed this man just couldn't quit it.

"She has well had a boyfriend and honestly I'm just not right for her…"

"What makes you say that…?" Skoochy looked at him

"I'm a nothing but a no good street rat, I didn't have a job that was legal until a few weeks ago, and Jinora can do a lot better…"

"Okay, pally listen their a lot of people in this world that aren't worth nothing, I mean I hardly think them worthy to eat dirt but any man who loves a woman enough to care about her safety rather than his own heart is worth something. Pally look at ya you wouldn't still be here if you didn't care about her…" Skoochy raised an eyebrow.

"I'm still here because I had no money to get a ferry ride back and none of the ferries were open by the time I left anyways…" the man clapped him on the shoulder.

"Well, that may be part of it but trust me if you wanted to leave you could have and you don't want to…" Skoochy looked at the man. He was hardly used to telling random stranger his life story but it seemed like he was getting better at it since he met Jinora. After he met her nothing seemed unusual anymore. If a woman like her existed anything could happen.

"Okay, listen, if you really want a ride back I'll give you a freebie this time…" the man said in a low whisper "but if you care about her like I'd like to think you do you won't be leaving until you got things straight with your fem." Skoochy considered it for a moment but honestly he wasn't sure which direction would be better. But the longer he thought the more he realized only one of the directions had Jinora and that was all the assurance he needed.

"I think I'll stay here…" the man clapped him on shoulder

"Attta boy! Now can you move off the dock I think I see some customers" he said pointing to a group of acolytes that seemed to be consumed in conversion as they walked down the docks. They eyed him curiously as he past them and made his way back to the main hall linking the dormitories.

He knocked on the door cringing when the sound rang louder than he'd expected, only to continue the expression when he was met at the door once again by Jinora's father… Councilman Tenzin. Skoochy swore he'd stopped breathing for a few second, but it seemed to return to normal as some semblance of and apology tried to spew from his mouth.

"Councilman Tenzin, I know this is not the best time and I know you don't want to see me after what I said last night which for the record I did not mean it's just…" Tenzin held up a hand for him to stop.

"What you said last night was true at least partially… perhaps Jinora was feeling pressure to be the perfect daughter but I swear I didn't want anything like this to happen. You know as well as I, if I knew Sachio's intentions with my daughter I would have had him throw in jail for even thinking such things" the thought of Sachio in jail almost made Skoochy smile but her tried to contain it so Tenzin could finish. "Jinora told me everything… when she woke up; I was more disappointed in myself that her… or you" he added. Skoochy looked up at Tenzin meeting his eyes.

"I've seen charmers like Sachio millions of times no one's supposed to know how much of a greaseball they really are… He would have fooled anyone… I didn't mean to suggest I protect your daughter better… you raised one swell girl, she can definitely hold her own but she does need other people in her life besides family…" Tenzin nodded

"Can I see her?" he asked hesitantly, waiting for a straight out no or for Tenzin to tell him once again to leave, but Tenzin just nodded and motioned him to one of the smaller dormitories near the back.

"Jinora… there someone here to see you?" said Tenzin watching as the girls head whipped around quickly to face him just a second before she ran over to him and wrapped her arm around his neck in a hug.

"Skoochy… I thought you left…"

"Not gonna happen, Dollface" Skoochy said holding on to her tightly. From the comer of the room Tenzin gave a small cough. Taking the hint Skoochy pulled away.

"How are you feeling Dollface?"

"Like I was run over by a satomobile…?

"Well, I might take a while for that to wear off but it will…?"

"You know I should thank you, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there to stop Sachio" Skoochy felt his voice caught in his throat as he thought about exactly what could have happened.

"Well, Jinora trust me I wouldn't let anything happen to you…"

"I know."

"I just… I thought I could trust him to…" Skoochy wanted to contradict her tell her a guy like Sachio couldn't be trust as far as you could throw him but her didn't .

"Everyone makes a few bad judgment calls but without them you can never make a few good judgment calls."

"I don't know I just wish I could have never met him or at least never dated him, but…"

"But, what?"

"Then I wouldn't have met you?"

"And you think that's a fair trade, dating a grease ball for meeting a no good street rat"

"Dating a lame-brained no good greeseball in exchange for meeting you, yes." Skoochy wasn't quite sure how to respond. His jaw fell a little slack at the statement. Her father seemed to have left the room and she just stood there with a coy smirk on her face.

He felt there need to kiss her, make her forget about Sachio and what he had done to her. He wanted to capture this moment like a photograph so he could forever look back on it and remember how Jinora said he was worth it. He wanted to tell her he loved her from the day he met her, but as always Jinora had a way of getting the last word. She leaned toward Skoochy wrapping her arms around his neck so their faces were a centimeters from touching.

"The answer is yes so kiss me…" she said. Skoochy looked in to her molten eyes he closed the distance between them for the first time. It was greater harmony than any night club canarycat could carry. It was the feeling Skoochy had only read about in books and scoffed at it for being unrealistic, and perhaps the situation was unrealistic, but neither of them wanted to return to realty any time soon.

When the need for air finally surfaced, they broke apart. No more than a few seconds later, Jinora spoke.

"You know the book I was reading?" Skoochy nodded, a wide grin plastered on his face.

"You were right; they do end up together" Skoochy smiled wide and met her lips for another kiss.

**A/N: **

**Song: But don't stop reading now there's another chapter!**

**Sister: What! Another chapter, after so long, this is finally finished I can't believe it!**

**I mean I thought this writer was dead but now I will hear the end of this tale before the New Year greeeeaaat!**

**Song: To anyone reading this you can thank my wonderful sister who told me that I had to complete this before the New Year. She actually said to complete all my unfinished stories but that might be physically impossible still I'll try for some stories. No promises but a Happy New Year to all.**

**Read and Review -Song**


	6. A Heart

**Disclaimer: If I owned LoK they would be even further behind schedule than they already are.**

**A/N: Finiiiiiiiiiiisssshhhheeeeee d! ;)**

**Chapter Six: A Heart**

Three years later

As Skoochy made his way down Main Street in republic city, he could hardly find it in him to wipe the grin off his face. How could he? As he saw it to day was shaping up to be just great.

"Hey pally, what's got you all goofy?" asked Takeo with a smile holding out his hand to greet the young man. Skoochy reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small pouch.

"This is the last payment on the loan." He said handing him the package of bills and coins, (that had been painstakingly scraped together counted, sorted and rolled up before he put them in the bag.) "And I have something to tell you…?"

Takeo smiled taking the bag, and looking through the money quickly "You know Skooch if you hadn't taken an extension on the loan you could have paid it off last year."

"I know, and that's what I wanted to talk about…" Takeo inclined his head looking at the slightly giddy man.

"Last year I was saving up to buy Jinora a ring and as of last week I've finally scraped together enough…" Skoochy raised his head enough to try and catch Takeo's reaction.

Skoochy was expecting a smile or a light punch to the shoulder, but the older man wrapped him in a quick hug, before pulling back to look at the young man he practically watched grow up. Then his expression turned serious for a moment.

"You know you're going to make a sap of me yet… You an' Dollface are finally tying the knot?" Skoochy nodded, before looking down.

"Well, I still need to ask her…?" he admitted.

"And what's stopping you?" asked Takeo raising and eyebrow at the man who had never had any problem asking questions before.

"I've never done this before… I just care about her so much; I don't want to get all balled up…" Skoochy sat down on the side walk, putting his head in his hand pensively.

"Listen, Skooch, if you and your doll had a chance of going south it would've happened a long time ago… and trust me I've had enough relationships go south to know what I'm talking about." Takeo gave a short pitiful laugh. "What I'm saying is you and your doll got something real special, I have worse odds betting on the probending matches I have thrown than on your relationship with Jinora." Skoochy looked up at him a smile beginning to creep back into his nervous exterior.

"How exactly do I ask her?" asked Skoochy. Takeo rolled his eyes at the younger man's unnecessary nervousness.

"You just ask… you'll know when the time is right… I did." he added as an afterthought, which reminded Skoochy of why he had chosen to talk to Takeo in the first place. Statistically he had the most practice even if it was only once and she died before they ever married. After a moment Takeo got up from bedside him, dusting the dirt from the sidewalk off his pants, before clapping Skoochy on the shoulder with one hand and extending his other arm to help him up.

"You and Jinora are finally tying the knot." he stated simply giving his shoulder another pat before looking away. "You did good Skoochy…" Takeo seemed like wanted to say more but he didn't. He waved goodbye and turned to leave.

"You're invited for the wedding, you know if she says yes…" Takeo turned back and gave a rare smile.

"I'll be there when she does…"

Skoochy found himself leaving their little meeting with the same goofy grin plastered once again to his face, and a single thought in his mind. _He couldn't wait to ask her to marry him._

"Skoochy, what are you doing?" asked Jinora as he knelt in front of her, there was a certain excitement in her voice and he had never seen her eyes more alight than they were that day. They'd been on the roof top of the library for over an hour. It was one of their less planned dates that happened after he'd gotten off work and they were both starved. They'd gotten some dumplings from a street vendor and brought it back up to the roof top to watch the sunset. It was somewhere between the light dimming on the horizon until the sky was nothing more than purple fog and the feel of her heart beat as she lay against his chest when he felt the sudden urge to stand up and Kneel down beside her.

"Jinora," His voice took on a serious tone while he looked up at her to hold her gaze. "The day we met you told me we'd only meet again if I stopped stealing things from you…" Jinora smirked remembering their first encounter.

"And that didn't seem to stop you" she said implying the few other time he'd flinched something from her.

"But," he said pausing "I'm not the only one who stole something…" Jinora raised an eyebrow, at his assertion, but her chagrin turned to shock as he pulled out a small ring from a pocket in his vest.

"Jinora the day you met me you stole my heart, and every day since I find it more and more difficult to ever live without you, would you marry me?" He held the ring up to her. The front had three gold inter-connected swirls and the center one was inlayed with a diamond chip.

"You know, to tell you the truth I thought it was already mine." Jinora smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"It is, Dollface, now and forever" he cupped Jinora face pulling her back toward his for a real kiss. After a misplaced moment later Jinora pulled away to say, "I said yes by the way."

Skoochy laughed lightly, "I assumed as much." He said placing another kiss on her nose.

"But just to clarify" she said raising her head a fraction so their lips would meet again.

"Of course" he replied pulling apart so he could slip the ring on her finger.

"I love you Skoochy" she breathed her deep brown eyes sparkling in the fading daylight.

"I love you too, Jinora, always."

**A/N: One part of my New Year's Resolutions is now finished (only twenty something more to go). So sorry this took so long I literally died (on ). See last year I died in real life and I felling to fan fiction world. Then, somehow I was reincarnated over the summer and I was able to live in the real world again. The only problem was that I could still see traces of the other side so now I am trying to find a way to exist peacefully between both worlds. It's taken me some time but I believe I am finally getting the hang of it. **

**P.S.: My understanding of the wedding stuff (for lack of a better word) in the avatar world is water tribe as we know used necklace to propose, fir nation I have no idea but in the context of Skoochy and Jinora would probably be irrelevant, air nomads because of their 'non-use of earthly possessions,' might not have had physical things that they used to proposed with, but I believe if any nation would use rings with rocks on them to propose, it would be the earth kingdom. It makes sense to me; if it doesn't to you, I don't know just pretend he proposed with something else. And I know everyone waited far too long for this ending and I can only hope it turned out as you expected. **

**- Read and Review Song ;)**


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